[Video/Nantong Daily]

Laba Festival, falling on the eighth day of the twelfth month of the traditional Chinese calendar, is marked by the custom of savoring Laba porridge, also known as "Seven Treasures Five Flavors Porridge".

A giant panda enjoys his "Laba porridge". [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Wildlife at the Nantong Forest Safari Park in Jiangsu province enjoyed their festive meals two days before the festival, which was celebrated on Jan 18 this year.

Water hogs feast on the fruit version of Laba porridge. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Giant pandas, China's national treasure, have always been the star of the country's zoos. In Nantong, zookeepers brewed a giant panda-friendly Laba porridge with bamboo, red beans, pumpkin, and steamed corn buns, ensuring the pandas take in enough nutrition to get through the cold winter.

Ring-tailed lemurs taste their festive meal. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Other wildlife at the zoo also enjoyed their special festive meals. Water hogs, for instance, feasted on a fruity version of Laba porridge, crafted from various vegetables and fruits. Meanwhile, ring-tailed lemurs glutted themselves on a Laba meal featuring fruits and nuts.

On festival days, keepers at the Nantong zoo routinely prepare festive meals for wildlife, providing them with a variety of food to help them grow healthier and stronger.